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UltraSTEEL® testing concludes new proven benefits!

UltraSTEEL® profiles have obtained positive test data and confidence to state that UltraSTEEL® has additional unique benefits over plain steel profiles.

We recently commissioned a 3-Year PhD research project on the impact resistance of our patented UltraSTEEL® process.

In partnership with the University of Sussex, further experimental testing and numerical analysis on UltraSTEEL® profiles have obtained positive test data and confidence to state that UltraSTEEL® has additional unique benefits over plain steel profiles.

Over 30 years ago we identified that there are a number of
advantages which can be achieved by altering plain surface steel
to a dimpled surface (UltraSTEEL®), which are beneficial when
applied in thin-walled products.

Ce Liang, PhD candidate, commented: “Improving resistance
against impact loads has become an intense research topic as it
promotes lightweight design for vehicles and infrastructures. The
UltraSTEEL® rollforming process appears to be very promising in
absorbing kinetic energy, thanks to increased strength of material
and dimpled geometry.”_

During the simulation and experimental testing of dynamic
axial crush testing it was found that the UltraSTEEL® columns
showed up to 10% more energy absorption and increased buckle
resistance than plain steel columns. This finding shows an overall
performance improvement when UltraSTEEL® columns are
subjected to a more representative real world application.
In addition to this finding, extra energy of impact loads can be
absorbed through wall to wall interaction in dimpled multi wall
columns. This interaction can be further promoted by increasing
the number of walls, thus increasing the normal pressure
between walls.

Additional analysis has also been conducted to understand the
response of UltraSTEEL® columns when subjected to lateral
impact loads. This analysis consisted of columns which were
fully fixed at the one end and simply supported at the other, with
constant axial compressive loads applied at the supported end.
The crush efficiency of the dimpled column was 7.2% higher than
its plain counterpart when the columns were not carrying any axial
load and up to 24.3% higher than the plain counterpart when axial
compressive loads were applied.

Dr Martin English, Group Technical and Development Manager,
concluded: “Through many years of standard plate, tensile and
product testing, we have always known the post-failure behaviour
of UltraSTEEL® was very different to plain materials. This prompted
a debate about whether new benefits of the process could be
uncovered through destructive testing methods, which this PhD
project has proven beyond doubt. We are now keen to explore novel
applications for UltraSTEEL® products that could benefit from these
findings, which could take the Hadley Group into new industries and
markets.”

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